Hacking the PSP RSS Channels

Psp2-1-2-1-1-1-1The latest version of the PSP firmware gets you RSS feeds, specifically podcasts. Sounds good, but there are a few problems. The first is that the PSP doesn’t actually download the podcasts, it “streams” them. So you need to have a Wi-Fi connection at all times. The second downer is you need to use their interface to add each podcast feed. There is some hacking of the file format of the stored feeds, here’s the first pass at cracking it at bit – Link. Ideally, you’d have a desktop OPML to PSP-RSS list creator and also, Sony should consider making the PSP actually download the files so you can take them on the go…I don’t think I’ll update to 2.6 until this is fixed.

MAKE-like HOW-TOs for Home Depot?

MAKE-like HOW-TOs for Home Depot?

DepotOnyxfrog wants you! “I work at a Home Depot and over the holiday shopping season we have a ‘santas workshop’ setup and I get to run all sorts of demos and classes. It’s lots of fun and I keep all my issues of Make with me for ideas but I would really like to hear and cool How-To’s you guys have that can be done with products primarily from Home Depot. I actually made a cigar box guitar last weekend. So far I haven’t been able to convince them to let me make a spud-gun but I’ve made plenty of mini-marshmallow guns =) If it wasn’t so darn cold out I would love to do a Kite Aerial Photography demo. So if anyone has any ideas I would love to hear them!” Link. I think the $14 video camera stabilizer from MAKE 01 is a good one. Post your ideas in the comments!

Open source audio editor for Mac/Win/Linux gets big upgrades!

Open source audio editor for Mac/Win/Linux gets big upgrades!

Audacity13Peter writes Audacity, the excellent and free waveform editor for Mac, Windows, and Linux, is finally getting a major upgrade. The new beta does real multitracking, helps you transcribe music or interviews with pitch controls, adds better Mac support, and unveils many other improvements. Most promising for podcasters: an FTP upload option.” Link. This is great news for Podcasters!

Once an Altoids tin, now a pinhole camera…

Once an Altoids tin, now a pinhole camera…

AltDaniel on CNET has a great article about the excellent Altoids contest that just wrapped up “If you happen to find yourself looking to remake your leftover Altoids tins, the company that makes the mints says the creative bar is a whole lot higher than an ashtray or a trinket box. Earlier this year, Altoids invited customers to enter its Tin Million Uses competition. The idea? Challenge people to come up with the most innovative way to reuse the ubiquitous tins.” Link. Many of the projects can be found in the pages of MAKE if you want to build your own too!